Racism in AcademiaRacism in Academia

An Anthropological Perspective An Anthropological Perspective

on a on a

Persistent ProblemPersistent Problem

Dr. Faye HarrisonDr. Faye Harrison

University of FloridaUniversity of Florida

RacismRacism

Any action, whether intended or not, that Any action, whether intended or not, that reinforces and reproduces racial inequalities reinforces and reproduces racial inequalities

Everyday, routine, taken for grantedEveryday, routine, taken for granted Embedded and reflected in the policies, Embedded and reflected in the policies,

practices, norms, and culture of institutions practices, norms, and culture of institutions and structures in ways that disadvantage and structures in ways that disadvantage people of colorpeople of color

Operates at individual and interpersonal levelOperates at individual and interpersonal level

American Anthropological Association American Anthropological Association Committee on Minority Participation, Committee on Minority Participation,

19731973

Racial Battle FatigueRacial Battle Fatigue

Cumulative effect of micro-invalidations and Cumulative effect of micro-invalidations and microagreesions and other more subtle forms microagreesions and other more subtle forms of racismof racism

MEES= mundane extreme environmental MEES= mundane extreme environmental stressstress

Chester Pierce, Grace Carroll, William Smith, Chester Pierce, Grace Carroll, William Smith,

Is There Any Evidence that Racism Is There Any Evidence that Racism Exists in Academia?Exists in Academia?

Journal of Blacks in Higher EducationJournal of Blacks in Higher Education Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the Backstage Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the Backstage

& Frontstage& Frontstage by L. Picca and J. Feagin, 2007 by L. Picca and J. Feagin, 2007 Faculty of Color in Academe: Bittersweet Faculty of Color in Academe: Bittersweet

Success Success by C. Turner & S. Myers, 2000by C. Turner & S. Myers, 2000 Annual status reports commissioned by the Annual status reports commissioned by the

Assoc. for the Study of Higher EducationAssoc. for the Study of Higher Education National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education Statistics

Do Stats Tell Us All We Need to Do Stats Tell Us All We Need to Know?Know?

Qualitative evidence complements aggregate dataQualitative evidence complements aggregate data--The Politics of Survival in Academia: Narratives of The Politics of Survival in Academia: Narratives of Inequity, Resilience, and Success. Inequity, Resilience, and Success. L. Jacobs,ed. 2002L. Jacobs,ed. 2002

--Women Faculty of Color in the White Classroom: Women Faculty of Color in the White Classroom: Narratives on Pedagogical Implications of Teacher Narratives on Pedagogical Implications of Teacher Diversity. Diversity. L. Vargas, ed. 2002L. Vargas, ed. 2002

--Faculty of Color: Teaching in Predominantly White Faculty of Color: Teaching in Predominantly White CollegesColleges, C. A. Stanley, ed, 2006, C. A. Stanley, ed, 2006

--Overcoming Our Racism: The Journey to LiberationOvercoming Our Racism: The Journey to Liberation,,Derald Wing Sue, 2003Derald Wing Sue, 2003

CounterstorytellingCounterstorytelling

Exposes the racialized, gendered, and classed biases Exposes the racialized, gendered, and classed biases of dominant discoursesof dominant discourses

Combines empirical and experiential knowledges in Combines empirical and experiential knowledges in the form of chronicles, storytelling, and other creative the form of chronicles, storytelling, and other creative narrativesnarratives

Multimethod/composite storytelling can be an Multimethod/composite storytelling can be an accessible way to raise consciousness, build accessible way to raise consciousness, build solidarity, promote healing, and contribute solidarity, promote healing, and contribute meaningful data to multimethodological research.meaningful data to multimethodological research.

Keeping the Legacy Alive!Keeping the Legacy Alive!

Anthropologists & Friends at the 2001 Anthropologists & Friends at the 2001 World Conference against RacismWorld Conference against Racism

Slave Rebel Memorial in Matanzas, Slave Rebel Memorial in Matanzas, Cuba. We Must Never Forget!Cuba. We Must Never Forget!